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Thursday, May 12, 2016

Brother Rogers Nelson (better known as ‘Prince’) Dies at 57

Known for his work as a musician, Prince was an exceptional basketball player, a philanthropist and one of Jehovah’s Witnesses who attended his local Kingdom Hall. As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Prince refused to let people cuss at Paisley Park Studios. Every time someone swore near him, they were charged $3 to $10 per swear word. While it may have seemed like a joke to newcomers, Prince was completely serious. As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Prince was against swearing and also insisted on bloodless surgery when needing a hip-replacement in 2005.

James Lundstrom is a congregation member at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. According to Brother Lundstrom, Prince was extremely humble when he was at the meetings. Instead of introducing himself as Prince, he would say that his name was Rogers Nelson. Even when it came to drinking, Prince primarily stuck to a couple of glasses of red wine since Jehovah’s Witnesses drink in moderation.

Prince’s Journey to Faith

As a child, Prince grew up as a Seventh Day Adventist. He later became a Baptist for a number of years. When his mother became friends with Larry Graham, she was drawn to Jehovah. As a result, she dedicated her life to Jehovah and got baptized. In 2001, Prince's father died. His mother died just six months later. On her deathbed, Prince's mother expressed her dying wish that her son would one day become a Witness of Jehovah also.

For months after her death, Prince battled with depression. Ultimately, he decided to follow through on his mother's dying wish and accepted the truth in 2003. Through his religion, he found fulfillment. His wife, Manuela Testolini, got baptized during the same year, although the couple ultimately got a divorce in 2006. One year later, Prince started dating Bria Valente. After Prince produced her first album, Valente became a Witness as well.

Over the years, Prince went out in service in Minneapolis and Los Angeles. People were surprised to answer their door and find Prince standing before them with a magazine. While it may have been surprising, most people were accepting of his religion and attempts to talk about his faith.

On April 21, 2016, Prince passed away on his estate in Chanhassen, Minnesota. He was discovered alone and unresponsive. By the time paramedics arrived 25 minutes later, he was dead. Following an autopsy on the next day, speculation arose that he may have died from an opioid overdose. While his cause of death is not certain yet, he sought help for an opioid dependency the day before. It is thought that Prince began taking opioids to help cope with the stress of performances. His body was later cremated, and a private memorial was held for those people who were closest to him.

This is indeed a sad loss for the world, including those brothers and sisters that were his close friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. You may be surprised at how many celebrities are Jehovah’s Witnesses and proud to share their faith. Read up on our blog, “Famous Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

17 comments:

Why is this inappropriate he was a baptized brother, what he did musically was simply his job nothing more. After he got baptized he destroyed copies of the songs of his he deemed filthy etc. as well as never performed them live ever again. Sure he wasn't perfect as none of us are, judge not for in the same manor you will be judged, I personally look forward to brother Nelson's return in the new system

It saddens me that this brother is being judged so harshly when we don't have a clue of what he was going through. There are so many of us fighting our own battles with Satan... isn't it enough that he died as one of Jehovah's people? He was not disfellowshipped or disassociated and does not deserve to be maligned by anyone, especially those that should know better. We are all imperfect and we all die as sinners until Jehovah changes things.

Long ago, I heard he became a Witness and I didn't know anything about his spirituality but now I can say that I'm proud of the brother he became. The way I heard it explained by Dr. Drew from CNN that Brother Nelson was not "addicted" he was "dependant". The two are completely different from each other. He had not had hip replacements so he was trying to manage his pain. Who of us who have not taken pain-killers cast the first stone. Poor Brother Nelson was having trouble eating and could not sleep. All of that coupled with excruciating pain would be enough to drive anybody crazy. I look forward to meeting him in the new system and he can dance to his hearts desire.

I have been been a lot of reports on how he lived his life b4 an down grading him to how could he be a JW when the way he lived his life was unclean. To how the congregation must of received a lot of money from him to turn their backs on his conduct. These ppl again are not the all knowing. We are taught to love an support our brothers an sisters. Leave the judging to Jehovah. He is the only 1 that knows brother Nelson's heart. We all have our own battles to face.love to you all. Thank your for this article. An I do also hope to meet brother Nelson in the new system. AGAPE.

Can't Not Share 2 Tables but one 1 Table only! Jehovah's or Satans? Did not Jesus said to ¨His Followers¨ not to be part of the world?...* a world alienated from Jehovah God and his righteous standards,and morals*There were other individuals who gave up fame and fortune and have made changes in their life! To set a good Christian example for unbelievers to fallow.... To lead a dopple lifestyle always has been a matter for serious counselling to take to consideration! Regardless. ( who or were you came from) without parsciallity or favoritism given) Does anyone here really care about,Jehovah feeling when he see his people doing what is Bad in his eyes?!... instead, of making his heart happy!!...(TO PROVE SATAN A LIAR!-)

No one knows Brother Nelson's business but him and Jehovah. We are not to judge. Jehovah knows his heart. We need to mind our own business and remember he was no different from us. Just because he was famous and his name was Prince didn't mean his hips didn't hurt. Give the poor BROTHER a break......

Jehovah is our strength, and he gave his only begotton son, in behalf of all mankind, his an his sons love is un limited, we all need to apply his word in our life, and show loving kindness to our brothers an sisters, and neighbours, but especially to Jehovah. Period......

Please be careful brother and sisters as there are apostates that will spread lies and put doubt in your heart Remember this is Satan's system and he and his demons will cause trouble as Satan is a roaring lion ready to devour . Keep seeking Jehovah and Jehovah will bless in ways you could not imagine . Jehovah is the only one who knows our true hearts , we have no right to judge . Also When it come to news again this is another tool for Satan to miss lead . The end is soon coming bothers and sisters but there is still time for new ones to come in the Truth So i pray for mankind to have there hearts receptive to the truth so i pray for people to now take a stand . We must be ready , must be awake and keep seeking Jehovah's kingdom . much love brother and sisters i hope we all make it . XXOO

To us he was simply Brother Roger Nelson. He attended the meetings, associated with the people there who treated him as thier spiritual brother rather than a big celebrity. He attended our conventions and was left alone to listen just as everyone else did. This was a man who did in depth study of the bible and decided what he learned was the truth. Much has been made about his sister saying she will not allow his ashes to be used in any memorial service his congregation may have for him. I must add that in any memorial service we have, I have never seen anyone's ashes, and rarely a body. That's only done if family requests it, therefore we do not need Prince's ashes. Yet of any of the many memorial services Prince would have wanted, it would be that held in the Kingdom Hall he attended. And if any non-Witnesses attended, he would have wanted them to hear about his hope the a wonderful new world he fervently believed in. Additionally, Prince was in unimaginable pain needing hip replacements. if it is found that he did die from an overdose of prescription drugs, I am sure he was trying to alleviate the pain until surgery. But his was a small body, and probably unable to handle the escalation of pain meds in an attempt to live with the pain. Many people with chronic pain may fall into this same situation. As the Bible mentions that Jesus lay in the grave for three days and was then resurrected by his Father, so our Brother Nelson is in Jehovah's memory, awaiting, like so many millions, a resurrection to a new paradise earth.﻿

What a lovely, balanced, comment hummingnectarbird15, You make me so happy to belong to this united brotherhood that strives to be no part of the world. We have no stars, we only have brothers trying to serve Jehovah the same as us.